Mycotoxin Exposure during the First 1000 Days of Life and Its Impact on Children’s Health: A Clinical Overview

Abstract

The first 1000 days of life are very sensitive to any event that alters health programming, and they represent a window for intervention to improve population health. Pregnant women, fetuses, and infants are particularly vulnerable to exposure to food contaminated with mycotoxins. This review aimed to gather data from the literature on mycotoxins exposure during intrauterine life and early childhood, and associated health risks, as assessed through human biomonitoring and mycotoxins occurrence in foods, in different continents. Maternal internal exposure to aflatoxins is associated with fetal growth restriction, while exposure to fumonisins increases the risk of offspring’s neural tube defects. Mycotoxin contamination of breast milk is reported worldwide, but data on adverse effects of the lactational transfer of mycotoxins on infant health are lacking. Young children are exposed to mycotoxins through contaminated infant formulas and baby foods. Both external and internal exposure to aflatoxins and fumonisins in children are reported to be associated with growth impairment. In low-income settings, where other co-factors can affect growth, this association should be interpreted with caution. Further studies on human biomonitoring of mother–infant pairs and young children are needed to guide management strategies aiming to minimize mycotoxin exposure at critical developmental stages.

Efficacy of electron beam irradiation in reduction of mycotoxin-producing fungi, aflatoxin, and fumonisin, in naturally contaminated maize slurry

“…The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classify AFs as class 1 carcinogens ( IARC, 2002 ). Aflatoxins have been associated with liver cancer ( Kimanya et al, 2021 ), retarded fetal growth in utero and infants ( Alvito & Pereira-da-Silva, 2022 ), as well as immunosuppression ( El miniawy et al, 2014 ). Aflatoxins in animals have been linked to reduced productivity, increased incidence of diseases, damage to vital organs, and death ( Robens and Richard, 1992 ).…”

Maternal exposure to environmental levels of carbamazepine induces mild growth retardation in mouse embryos

“…Importantly, FGR in human fetuses has been associated with maternal exposure to environmental pollutants (Gómez-Roig et al, 2021). For instance, maternal exposure to airborne pollutants, mycotoxins, phthalates, as well as to drinking water contaminated with nitrate and pesticide, has been linked to a higher occurrence of FGR (Alvito and Pereira-da-Silva, 2022; Bach et al, 2015; Chang et al, 2022; Gönenç et al, 2020; Macchi et al, 2021; Santos et al, 2021; Smith et al, 2017)As our study demonstrates for the first time a small but consistent growth delay in mice embryos upon maternal exposure to an environmental level of CBZ, further studies are needed to determine whether the mild growth restriction found in the CBZ-exposed mice at GD9.5 persists throughout gestation, in order to conclude whether CBZ from the environment may induce FGR in mice, which may be comparable to clinical evidences in humans (Dilworth et al, 2011). If so, it would appear necessary to begin exploring whether higher incidences of FGR are detected in regions with relatively high levels of CBZ in treated wastewater, surface water and groundwater.…”

Assessment of Agricultural Practices for Controlling Fusarium and Mycotoxins Contamination on Maize Grains: Exploratory Study in Maize Farms

“…This may happen in the occupational environments as those related with the working areas where raw materials and waste are handled (field, silos, small enterprises, etc.) or through food ingestion [ 21 , 22 , 23 ]. For example, in Europe and America where maize is used as an energy source in animal feed with an incorporation rates ranging between 50% and 80% of the diets [ 11 ], the limits established for aflatoxins and for DON were already exceeded [ 11 , 24 ], which is a real concern.…”